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Pune police deny permission for MPSC protest, ask protesters to vacate
Pune city police on Thursday denied permission for the ongoing protest by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants at S M Joshi bridge near Patrakar Bhavan, and directed the protesters to vacate the premises immediately citing traffic congestion, inconvenience to residents and the possibility of a law-and-order situation
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Pune city police on Thursday denied permission for the ongoing protest by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants at S M Joshi bridge near Patrakar Bhavan, and directed the protesters to vacate the premises immediately citing traffic congestion, inconvenience to residents and the possibility of a law-and-order situation.
The notice, issued under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 by deputy commissioner of police (special branch) Prashant Amrutkar, was addressed to student representatives Pramod Patil and Nitin Gite.
According to the notice, the students had initially announced a protest from October 2. However, following a meeting between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and student representatives on September 30, the representatives submitted a written letter saying that they were suspending the proposed agitation. The police said that the permission granted earlier for the protest consequently became ineffective.
Despite this, Patil and his associates allegedly gathered the MPSC aspirants at S M Joshi bridge on October 1 and began the agitation at around 6 pm without permission. The police said that the Vishrambaug police station had issued a written notice the same day declaring the protest to be ‘unauthorised’ and directing the protesters to vacate but the agitation continued.
The police also cited provocative speeches, including calls to ‘shut down Pune’, and alleged that the aspirants were being encouraged to join the protest instead of attending their studies. An alleged attack on a journalist during the agitation, for which an FIR has been registered at Vishrambaug police station, was also cited.
“There is a sense of insecurity created among local residents. In view of all the circumstances, we are convinced that there is a strong possibility of public peace and order being disturbed in the area, which can result in a serious law-and-order situation. In this regard, a public interest litigation (PIL) has also been filed before the high court by local residents, and the high court has passed the aforementioned order. In exercise of the powers vested in me under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, hereby deny police permission, for the ‘sit-in/protest demonstration’ on the public road at S M Joshi bridge.”
“You are also hereby directed to vacate the said area immediately,” deputy police commissioner Amrutkar stated in the notice.
The notice referred to the Bombay high court hearing on Wednesday during which, the court emphasised that peaceful and lawful protest is a constitutional right but added that public roads, bridges and other public spaces cannot be blocked in a manner affecting residents. The police said that the court has directed the state to ensure that traffic movement is not affected by protest-related blockades.
The police said that the continued agitation at S M Joshi bridge had disrupted normal life, increased traffic congestion and created a sense of insecurity among residents. They warned that the activities could lead to a deterioration in public peace and law-and-order.
The police have repeatedly made announcements from a police van asking the protesters to leave. The notice said that if the students submit a written application seeking permission to protest for a specified period at an alternative location, including the area near the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue outside the district collectorate, their request will be considered.
However, the protesters refused to leave and said they will continue the agitation till such time the government gives concrete assurances on their demands.
Nationalist Congress Party/NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar was present at the protest site when the police made the announcements. Backing the protesters, he said, “The students have come here after years of preparation and have put their future at stake. They cannot simply be asked to get up and leave. The government should come here, speak to them and give them a clear answer. Until there is a concrete decision, I will stand with these students and we will continue our protest here,” he said.
